Gay Ibiza

Gay Ibiza

Emergency measures in the wake of Covid-19:

The government instructed all people in Spain to stay at home starting March 15th, except for brief trips for necessities. The lockdown has been extended until May 24th. Schools, universities, nurseries, museums, bars, restaurants, cafes, theaters and cinemas were closed. Food stores, pharmacies and tobacco stores remained open. Restaurants could provide take-out services only.

Some non-essential small shops and services opened on May 4th with phase zero of relaxed regulations, and the whole Balearic Islands region moved into phase one on May 11th, with groups of up to ten permitted, cafe/bar terrace openings at 50% capacity, more freedom of movement within the province, and fewer restrictions on shopping. Hotels will reopen but without dining rooms. Masks must be worn on public transportation which will operate at one-half capacity.

Spain has imposed entry restrictions at ports and airports on all arrivals through June 15th, except for Spanish nationals, foreign residents, air crew, cargo workers, health workers and diplomats. Passengers are required to self-quarantine for 14 days.

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About 50 miles off the coast of Valencia, Ibiza is one of the larger Balearic Islands. Settled in 654 BC by Phoenicians, the island's name was given by visiting Greeks for "pine-covered islands." Ibiza later came under the control of Carthage, then the Romans. Rule by the Vandals, and the Moorish Taifa of Denia followed until the conquest by the Christian King James I of Aragon, in 1235. A United Nations World Heritage Site, its Old Town retains the medieval city walls. Large parts of the island are protected from development, so if you need to get away from the crowds there are always places to enjoy eye-popping vistas in solitude.

Like Mykonos in Greece, Ibiza is a summer gay resort that has risen to almost mythical status. "La Isla Blanca" is a beautiful place where visitors' days are usually spent frolicking on the beaches, and the nights are for legendary clubbing that lasts well past sunrise. A number of gay bars, restaurants and cafes can be found in the town of Ibiza, around Carrer de la Mare de Déu (Calle de la Virgen in Castillian) in the portside Sa Penya, and in the Dalt Vila area.

You’ll probably love the music too. DJs come from around the world to spin house and trance tunes for very appreciative crowds. A large expat community from other EU countries make their home here, along with Latin Americans and Moroccans, giving the scene a very cosmopolitan feel. They say that on summer weekends the parties are so perfectly spaced that one is always starting when the last is breaking up. The circuit party promoters follow people as they leave the big cities' heat to relax at coastal resorts, and the scene blazes throughout July and August to wrap up in September. Gay Pride Ibiza takes place this year June 13-16, 2018, with four days of pool and club parties, entertainment, performances and arts presentations.

Many local restaurants serve typical Ibizan fare, traditional Mediterranean-style, including fish, seafood, rice, stews, asados/asadas (grilled meat or vegetables), garlic sauces, and tomato/onion/garlic dips. Chopped almonds, common in Catalan cuisine, are often used here too. International options include Chinese, French, Indonesian, Indian, Italian, and French cuisines, English breakfasts, and American fast food.

See our gay Ibiza listings page for map locations and club contact information for the above, plus more bars, and a few hotels and restaurants.

Ibiza Town (Eivissa) has a compact Old Town (Dalt Vila) that is made for strolling. Street signs are in Eivissenc, the local dialect of the Catalan/ Valencian languages. Many businesses still use Castilian Spanish street names (Calle de la Virgen, instead of the official Carrer la Mare de Déu on google maps) - a bit confusing at first. Locals often speak English or German, in addition to the Iberian languages, and most expats and visitors speak at least some English.

A car is a good idea if you want to explore the island but there is bus service too; see IbizaBus for a list of routes and companies. Some big discos and hotels provide free transportation. Taxis are a fairly expensive way to get around the island, costing €20-30 between cities.

Neighborhoods

Carrer de la Mare de Déu (Carrer de la Verge) is Eivissa's (town of Ibiza) main gay strip - also known in Castillian as Calle de la Virgen. It’s packed with bars and clubs with outdoor terraces that are buzzing on sultry summer evenings. Gays and straights mix with ease. Another cluster of bars is above, in Dalt Vila, and Figueretas Beach area to the west has many hotels and restaurants. Almost all the businesses in the district are gay-friendly at the least; just trust your gaydar. There are also a number of men's fashion outlets along these streets. Outside this district, in Santa Eularia des Riu to the north, there is also nightly entertainment. July and August are the busiest months of the season, but many places are open in May, June and September, for those who prefer a less frenetic scene.

Many small gay bars line the streets of the old town, but most of the big gay-friendly mixed internationally-known discoteques are a bit further out - some provide free buses from the center. On the coast to the south of Eivissa, near Platja d'en Bossa, Hï Ibiza has taken over the old Space location, and Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel, an "adults-only music theme park" that features 24-hour VIP luxury treatment and famous guest DJ dance parties. Bora Bora Beach Club and Manchester UK import Sankeys Ibiza, are also here. Santa Eulària des Riu, a quieter coastal town just north of Eivissa, also has some bars and restaurants of interest.

The area around Sant Rafel (San Rafael), at island center, between Eivissa and Sant Antoni, is home to three big clubs with gay parties, Amnesia, Privilege and Underground.

On the north side of the island the town of Sant Antoni de Portmany (San Antonio) the scene is newer, and more commercial, probably sparing ancient Eivissa the sort of development that could have spoiled it. Here Eden has nightly mainsteam dance events, Es Paradishas similar events most nights in season, and Ibiza Rocks features international popular live music acts on stage, overlooked by their hotel room balconies. These clubs draw mostly young and straight, but not-unfriendly-to-gay crowds.

Beaches

There are over eighty beaches within half an hour's drive of Eivissa or Sant Antoni. The range from those with full-service beach club resorts, fine restaurants, and partying on the sand, to unspoiled and tranquil natural sandy retreats. These rank among the most popular:

Figueretas Beach, the city beach on the south side of Eivissa, surrounded by hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops, with a palm-fringed promenade, lounge chairs and parasols for rent, shower facilities, and access for the disabled. A harbor for fishing boats separates it from Platja d'en Bossa, to the south. The promenade and cafes come alive in the evenings, as visitors leave the beach, and locals arrive to cool off and relax.

Platja (or playa) d'en Bossa, a long stretch of beach with bars and beach lounges and shops in Sant Josep de Talaià just south of Eivissa, varying from the super trendy to casual and laid back. Drive, bike or take the bus from Ibiza Town, just 4 km away.

Platja d'es Cavallet, a naturalist, clothing optional beach backed by unspoiled sand dunes, just 10 minutes drive south of Platja d'en Bossa past the airport. There's an active gay scene at the far end of the long beach, with several nearby Chiringuito-style beach restaurants. Chiringay, just behind the gay area, along with El Chiringuito are two such bar/restaurants between the dunes and the sea for drinks, tapas, burgers, pasta and fish. The Experimental Beach Restaurant is on the other side of the Ses Salines National Park.

Las Salinas Beach, at the island's southern tip, with a trendy party scene next to the Salinas Conservation Area. Lounge chairs and parasols can be rented, and there are restaurants and bars serving food and cocktails to your beach chair; also massages, beach boutiques, and public showers. These include the Malibu Beach Club, and the Jockey Club. Further down the bay nudists mix with families, "hippies" and partiers who dance to the music that plays all day. Even further, past the watchtower, there are small coves that break into the rocky coastline, for those seeking their own private beach.

Cala Jondal(Platja d'es Jondal), further west down the coast from Las Salinas, is popular with boaters, the rich, the beautiful and the trendy. Surrounded by jagged cliffs and a pine woods conservation area, it has a white pebble beach and clear blue waters. Several high-end restaurants here such as Es Xarco, the Tropicana Beach Club, Blue Marlin, and Yemanja offer good food, beer, wine and cocktails along with beach club amenities. Access by car, or by private boat.

Currency and Money

Spain’s official currency is the euro. There are ATMs scattered about the center, so you won’t have trouble getting more cash.

Media

The website of Ibiza Gay Pride has all the latest information about the parade and party events each June.

Amnesia (Carretera Eivissa a Sant Antoni, km 5), one of the legendary clubs with a 5,000 capacity crowd; regular nights including Matinée Group's Saturday club nights that include foam parties in the Main Room, and evenings on The Terrace.

Heart (passeig de Joan Carles I, 17), an amusement park for adults; a creative partnership between Cirque du Soleil and the Adrià brothers to explore what happens when food, music and art collide. La Troya Wednesdays moved here from Space.

Hï Ibiza (Platja d'en Bossa 10, Sant Josep de Sa Talaia), new club for 2017 season at the old Space site. Regular nights to include Glitterbox every Friday, June 1st through September 28th, 2018 - "encompassing all ages, colours, genders and sexual orientations."

Privilege (Carrer de Ibiza, 7), the worlds largest nightclub with capacity of 10,000, main room ceilings at 25 meters high, many bars, plus a chill-out garden, rotation of international club brands and spectacular shows. SuperMartXé owns Thursdays here, presenting their unique shows weekly throughout the season plus other special nights.

Ushuaïa (Playa d'en Bossa, 10), nightly parties at the beach just south of Eivissa, mega-star DJs, big pool parties; gay nights have included Pride events in years past.

Essential Ibiza has the full calendar listings for all the clubs for the whole season.